(SOUTH BEND) -- Notre Dame, Purdue and Indiana University have been selected as research partners for two institutes that will seek to improve advanced manufacturing and help create jobs.

The institute in Chicago will concentrate on high-tech digital manufacturing and design, while the one in Canton, Mich., near Detroit, will specialize in light metal manufacturing. Each was awarded $70 million from the Department of Defense.

Notre Dame has been selected as a research partner in both, while Purdue and IU were selected as partners in digital manufacturing.

The digital manufacturing program will apply advanced technologies to reduce the time and cost of manufacturing. The light metal manufacturing program will seek to make materials that are lighter and more affordable and competitive.